Maid Maleen's twin sister
by santana the strange
Summary: When Maid Maleen meets the handsome Prince Alfred she is beset with hatred with him straight away and decides that she would not marry him, true to her heart she falls in love with another Prince, and wishes to marry him. Her father refuses their marriage and informs her she will be locked in a tower. She finds a pauper with features like her own and switches places with her.
1. Chapter 1

September 2nd 1510

'Presenting his Royal Highness, Prince Alfred the third.' The mighty King Edward had barely taken his seat on his throne that morning when his most esteemed servant introduced the neighbouring Prince. The young Prince was the son of the wealthy King Frederick who was also King Edward's closest and eldest friend.

King Frederick's wife Queen Louisa had died whilst giving birth to their only son and Frederick had been longing to retire, in order so that he could allow himself to grieve for his dead wife. Unfortunately for him Prince Alfred had no wife to become his queen and Frederick would not allow his only son to marry a commoner. No he'd decided that his only son would marry a Princess and unfortunately the only Princess in all the land was Maid Maleen, King Edward's daughter.

The most important thing to know about Maid Maleen was that she was not your ordinary, meek and mild Princess. No Maleen was a very independent Princess, she was able to make up her own mind and preferred when she was not told to do something she did not quite like. King Edward knew the reason behind the arrival of Prince Alfred and so he had begun to worry. Arranged marriage was widely known throughout the land, but he worried that Maleen would not agree to an arranged marriage. Many Kings, nay fathers, would not allow their daughters a say in the matter, but King Edward was a great King because he cared what his subjects, his servants and his daughter wanted.

'Prince Alfred, how nice to see you again and this time you have come to my kingdom! What a surprise. May I ask what it is that you seek?' He asked kingly and the prince dropped to his knees in respect. His beautiful blonde curls glistening in the light as they fell over his forehead.

'Your majesty, King Edward, I have come seeking the hand of Maid Maleen in marriage,' Prince Alfred informed of him as he raised his head and his closed fist to his chest over his heart in obvious respect for the King of another kingdom.

'Oh well he is very handsome isn't he?' The King's wife, Queen Madeline called from beside her king who nodded his head. Yes, with his angel curls and baby blue eyes; his pale skin tone he and his daughter would be a match made in heaven. After all he was a charming suitor and one she surely would not be able to refuse. He couldn't see why she would; after all he was rich, charming and a royal. Surely she would fall in love easily with him.

'Of course,' King Edward said, turning his attention from the Queen and back to the Prince. 'Prince Alfred, you may certainly have my daughter's hand in marriage.' As he finished speaking the daughter in question entered the room and gasped at the beauty of the prince as she took her seat at her own throne.

At the age of sixteen, Maid Maleen was a very smart and logical child; she knew too well what an alliance between two rich kingdoms would mean. Unfortunately she was not already aware of the alliance that the kingdoms had through the friendship of their Majesties. And being the good child that she was, she thought that it would be of some use to marry such a handsome prince.

'Princess Maleen,' the prince then turned to her, a look of rapture on his face. She could see that he was in love with her already. He was in love with her at first sight as her mother had always spoken of. However she wondered how such a thing could be. Wasn't a prince supposed to love you for your personality not just for your looks? If such a thing was possible, wouldn't it be unfair to the girls that weren't as beautiful?

Yes, with her long black curls and emerald green eyes Maleen was a very beautiful princess and had secret admirers amongst the entire kingdom. Her dark hair and her eyes were the complete opposite to the pail complexion she was gifted with. No matter, the generous breasts and the curvaceous figure she had been gifted with through puberty were always catching the eyes of many men. Yes they were all commoners, but now it seemed as though her beauty had caught the attention of a very eligible prince.

'What is your name, Prince?' she asked of him, curiosity urging her to. She wanted to know the name of the prince that she would marry; after all it was only right. A wife was to know the name of her husband.

'I am Prince Alfred of the far east,' the prince informed her and she narrowed her eyes at that. Prince Alfred of the Far East hmmm. Maid Maleen had heard many a thing from the girls in the kitchen about the eligible Prince Alfred. And what she had heard was not something she'd decided was worthy of her marrying him. She had heard that this prince who knelt before her was known as a cad. The kitchen girls had spoken of the many girls and wenches he had lain with in his own kingdom. And it seemed to Princess Maleen that Prince Alfred was not the kind of man she would want to marry.

Maid Maleen's type of man, her own idea of love, was to know a man who was as she was, pure and independent. Maleen wished to find a Prince who was handsome, but who also wished to known who and what she was about before he fell in love with her, she did not wish for a shallow prince like the one before her. She wanted a man she thought she could speak to; she wanted a man who would see her as an equal. She did not want to marry the prince before her, but her father had already agreed upon it.

'Very nice to meet you Prince Alfred,' Maleen spoke as she stood and curtseyed, as was expected of her, not that she wanted to act out of courtesy to the royal. No Maleen could already feel the seed of hatred burning in her heart as it grew roots.

'The pleasure is all mine Princess,' Alfred said as he approached her, took her hand and kissed it as he bowed low. Grimacing Maleen tore her hand back and discreetly wiped it on her beautiful jade green dress. 'I will be a very good husband to you, this I promise,' he told her and she narrowed her eyes once again. _I have heard many a thing of you Prince and I would not trust a thing that would come from your mouth._

Instead of speaking what she wanted to Maleen took to her feet and excused herself.

'Apologies Prince Alfred but I cannot stay too long, I am already late for my music lesson and my teacher will not be too pleased if I am anymore late,' Maid Maleen excused and left, with a great sigh of relief.


	2. The Princess and the Pauper

Maid Maleen exited the throne room in a rather lady-like manner of which did in fact befit her royal title as Princess, but then as soon as she knew she was out of sight, and out of hearing range she took off, racing like a horse through the corridors of the castle, before finding the room that would take her to the city.

In this room she'd laid out clothes she'd stolen from the servants; these clothes would make her seem a peasant, meaning that she could go through the city as herself, not as a royal. She could do whatever she liked, she could speak to whomever she wanted to, and nobody would raise an eyebrow, the guards would not recognise her and cart her home.

Maid Maleen was the only heir to the throne of her kingdom and was, now, a betrothed Princess to the Prince Alfred a bar frequenter and a wench frequenter. She just knew she could never love him and she knew she could not marry a man of which she did not love.

And so, as she hurriedly dressed, she thought to herself she would make her way to the brook down by the field where she would be soothed by the soft lapping of the water, and perhaps there she would find the answer out of this nightmare. She had never wished to be royalty, if she could have made a wish she would have wanted to be born a peasant, after all she could be and do whatever she wanted then. She wouldn't have to set an example for all the other women and young women in the kingdom.

Dressed and ready to go Maleen made her way through the secret door of the room and journeyed through underground tunnels that spread throughout the entire city. Here she could pass to and from unknown. Yes they would find her missing and perhaps send guards to look for her...eventually, but for the time being they believed her at her clarinet lesson and so would leave her be, they had the prince to entertain too.

Maleen loved these tunnels that she would journey through, found a sense of adventure within them that the castle could not give her for all of its wealth. Not a woman focused on love or any of its nature she found herself suddenly longing for an adventure in love, for someone, some kind caring man to sweep her off of her feet with poetry or songs or flowers, she wished to be courted not just married off. She wanted the chance to fall in love with a man who would make a great father and give her lovely, kind and educated children.

As she wandered through the tunnels she realised that her exit was coming up on her left and so charted her course in that direction. When she came up out of the tunnels she found herself in the middle of a row of small houses. This was the place where she came all of the time because she could never be spotted.

And as she walked through the city, speaking kind greetings to the people she would one day rule over she found herself wishing she could trade places with just one of them, she wished that she could be poor and free, than rich and caged. She felt caged within her birth right, that she had no freedom to do that which she wanted, she had to become an educated lady who could play every instrument and speak every language known to man. She wished she had a choice, she wished Fate were not so cruel to her as to keep her in chains her whole life.

'Goodbye mother I leave for the market,' poor, peasant Margaret informed her ailing mother as she exited the small house that they could barely pay for. And as they were both women she did not see work coming in as soon as she would like it to, and money was swiftly running out. If it did they would have to resort to begging, or other reputation damaging means for survival, after all they did have to eat.

And as she journeyed through the kingdom's city she wondered how she would be able to keep paying for the medicine her mother needed. The apothecary had been willed the shop from her late father but that did not mean he was willing to hand out free medicine to their family. And her father wouldn't have wanted him to. She found no answer forthcoming and as she collected the small amount of food she could afford she made her way down to the brook, the place where she had always felt most comforted. She had spent many a day there after learning of her father's death. He'd been a very good man, he'd loved her, had spent many hours of his time with her and supported her through everything. Also his grave was positioned there near the brook and she wished to consult his advice on the matter; he would know what to do. He always had the answer, and visiting his grave always filled her with assurance and hope for a brighter future. However this day she found even herself doubting her father would be able to help. She didn't think that anybody could. But she would fine a way. She would find an answer, she could not let her mother worsen, or die. She was only sixteen, and yes her mother could have thrown her out years ago, but they were all they had.

And as she trekked through the city to the brook she noticed many a gentleman send her flirtatious looks and invitations. Everyone in the city knew her predicament and knew that if worse came to worse she would do anything to keep her mother alive, even demean herself and spoil for her future husband that which he was entitled to. But then again she had had many a suitor, many a man ask for her hand in marriage but all she could do was refuse. They would want to take her away from her mother and start a family all their own, one where she could not leave the house and would be caged within a kitchen. She hated her life, she wished her father were still alive and she wished that Fate were not so cruel.

When she reached the brook, the side where her father's grave lay, she spotted another figure across from her. The figure was hooded, hiding their face and the cloak they wore was so thick and baggy that Margaret could not tell who was beneath it. Were they male, female? Friend or foe? She did not know and turned to her father's headstone.

'Father I am at a loss here, mother is ill and we have very little money. How am I to get the medicine she needs and the food we both need? Surely you must have a solution to my problem. Surely you can help me one more time?' As she spoke tears fell from her eyes, fertilising the grass beneath her knees.

When no answer was forthcoming she turned to the brook and gazed at her own reflection hoping to find some comfort and some knowledge by looking at the face that was so like her father's but that it were feminine.

With her long black curls and emerald green eyes she was as beautiful as her father had been handsome. She was not at all surprised that many of the men in the city were infatuated with her, beauty was always something desired in a wife. What she did mind though was the fact that many of these men were cold hearted and had not a sense to know how to love. She wished they could to, it would make choosing a husband much easier, for if they were kind and loving they would not wish to take her from her mother, if they were as she wished they would care for the old woman too.

Her pale face was striped with tears that dripped and splashed into the brook adding salt to the water and the fish within. Fishing. Her father had taught her such a sport, against her mother's better wishes might she add. He had always said it would come in handy and know she realised why. If they ran out of money at least they could catch and cook fish.

The figure across from her seemed to be at a loss as she was and Margaret was overcome with the urge to comfort the stranger, but knew too well that if she did she could be greeting a convict. The hooded figure could be a murderer and then what would her mother do?

With no answer to her predicament Margaret left the brook and the stranger behind to take her mother the food she had bought. She would cook whatever she could with the food and return with her father's old fishing rod and catch some fish for other meals. She would buy medicine with the last of their money and they would live off of fish and berries. It was the best she could do with what little they had, and as much as she wished their circumstance were different, wishing would get them nowhere.


	3. The mystery man

Maid Maleen was on her way back to the castle, after all it was getting dark, and mother and father would soon start to wonder where she was. She knew her parents cared about her, truly she did, but sometimes she felt as though they only cared because she was their only child and consequentially their only heir, when they would meet their demise. After all, she reasoned, if father loved me as much as he says he does he would not be forcing me to marry a complete stranger, who could never be happy with the same wench, longer than it took him to plough her.

As she made her way to the drain to travel back home secretly, she wondered why her father had agreed for this Prince to marry her; was it because no other prince had asked yet, and he wanted her married as quickly as was possible? Or perhaps t'was because he was aging quick and his heart beat slowing? Was Prince Alfred there already, waiting for her? Had father moved him into the castle already? He'd sounded as though he meant to give her a choice, but after all that said and done, if he'd moved the Prince in then he saw him as a son already.

'Ooh me apologies Miss,' a male voice sounded, a handsome male voice and when Maleen looked up she saw that he was just as handsome as his voice proclaimed, and he had his hand on her shoulder. 'Apologies for bumping in to you,' he continued and she shook her head quickly.

'No I am sorry, kind sir, I was the one not looking where it was that I was going,' Maleen spoke her heart racing just as fast as the words she spoke, hopefully he would not realise the nerves that were building up inside her, but oh how beautiful he was. With hair that spun like golden straw and eyes that were of the deepest seas she could not help but find herself wanting him.

This man was everything that Maleen was not, he was a peasant; he was free, and he was in looks at least completely opposite to her. There was something about him that just made her wish she had time to speak to him all evening and to learn everything there was to know about him, but she just did not have the time. Oh fickle world, oh cruel time, Maleen lamented as she said her goodbye and walked away her heart heavy.

Prince Lewis watched the odd peasant woman leave and found that he was in fact infatuated with her; she had a lovely pallid complexion, the darkest of curs and the greenest of eyes. She was completely opposite to him in looks as well as bloodline. Whereas he was one of the richest royals in the neighbouring South kingdom, she was as poor as the day was long, she that was a peasant.

Why was he here in this kingdom this day? Well the answer to that was clear. Prince Lewis the first was in the hunt for a wife, a wife of royal bloodline heritage as he was. Lewis had come here to this kingdom because he heard that the fairest princess lived here, he heard that she was fare in looks and disposition and that she was well learned. He had come to this kingdom seeking Princess Maid Maleen, but instead he had found himself attracted to the odd peasant woman. Who was she? Where did she live? What did she do in her spare time? Who were her family?

'I must find her,' Lewis said and turned to where he had last seen her and could not find her, had she disappeared so quickly? And where to, was she a witch? Even if that appeared to be the truth Lewis found that he could not judge her. She had seemed innocent, sweet and in some way very, very sad. When she'd said she needed to go she'd seemed frustrated, as though what she was going back to was hell.

'Lewis,' a voice called from behind, and he turned to see that it was one of his own men, one of his favourite men at that. 'Lewis, the Queen wants to see you, she asks that you stay of the night and not leave in the dark, she wishes you to be safe and sure in her castle,' Michael finished and Lewis nodded his head.

'Okay my friend, lead me back to the castle,' even as Lewis spoke he could tell that he was very distracted indeed. And when Michael shot him a curious look he shrugged and allowed his friend to take the lead back to the castle, and as he did he kept a look out for his surprisingly beautiful peasant girl.

I will find her, he promised, as he walked back, I will find her and I will make her life so much better than what she suffers now. He would discover why she suffered, who had made her suffer and he would take his revenge on them. No one should have to suffer like she had; no one should have to suffer in this kingdom. In his own kingdom he made it a rule that everybody had enough money and all the freedom they needed within reason. And his kingdom was a lot happier for it. He would marry this Princess Maleen, if only to change the rules of this kingdom and make his mystery woman as happy as she could be. That would be his goal in marrying the only Princess he knew of in the close kingdoms that surrounded his. Yes she was fabled to be a beauty, but he wanted the mystery beauty, he wanted her, but he wanted her freedom more than he wanted her body.

And that was the thought that kept him walking towards the castle, it was the inspiration that kept him marching onward to the castle.


	4. Margaret's decision

'I'm back mother,' Margaret announced as she returned to the cottage with the medicine and the food she had bought from the market, of which she placed on the table and went through to the living room to find her mother laid up in the bed they had there. They only had the two rooms, the kitchen and the living room which doubled as a bed chamber, a bed chamber for her mother. Margaret rarely slept, kept awake at night with the fear that her mother might die whilst she did sleep. Margaret was not so selfish that she would sleep while her mother lay there, each breath so laborious for her, so much so that it was hard for her to breathe.

'Come here my daughter,' the old woman called to her young daughter who dutifully made her way to the grey haired woman's bed side. Her mother was so much younger than she actually appeared but the illness she had, her health was so poor that it had taken everything from her, everything that she'd had, all the colour in her face, her hair. And the wrinkles in her face were deep set because of the effort and the stress written on her face.

'I'm here mother, I bought your medicine from the apothecary,' Margaret said as she took the medicine from the bag and administered it to her mother. She saw the look of worry in her mother's eyes, knew that the woman knew she, her daughter, was worried. But Margaret would never tell her mother that they were running out of money and that soon they would not have the means to buy any more medicine. Though ill, her mother was so happy that Margaret just did not want to be the one to give her the bad news.

There were many reasons behind her refusal to be the bearer of bad news. The main reason was, her mother was the last of her family she had, she didn't want to speak for she knew she would be devastated at the confirmation of her mother's final end. She didn't need her mother there because she was dependant on the woman, no the woman had been dependant on her for many years. Margaret needed the woman there because she needed the love that came with the maternal mother, so much love her daughter wondered how she didn't implode with it all.

'You're such a good girl Maggie,' the old woman said using the sweet name she'd given her daughter when she'd grown. Margaret's face fell. No, she was not a good girl, she was not a good daughter. If she was any of those things she would have married many of the suitors stopping at her door. Then she could have the money she needed to get her mother more medicine, and keep he alive a little longer. Her mother needed more time. And if she didn't have a lot left anyway, Margaret would be sure her mother saw her married.

'Mother I...' she began to confess that she did not feel like a good girl, that she felt as though she had betrayed her mother by not marrying any of the men she had been asked by. But now she didn't care if the men wanted her for her body, or for the possibility to capture her heart. She would marry the very next man who asked her. The next suitor who came to the door would be the very man she married, the very man she said yes to.

And it was at that moment in time that at the door there came a knock. Taking a deep breath, knowing only one type of person came to her door any more. Suitors. Had they heard her thoughts, spotted her on her way back or did they just know she was running out of money at long last?

'Margaret would you get the door my love?' Her mother asked and she nodded.

'It's a suitor,' she reminded her mother who smiled wide, her teeth showing. She was excited; because as much as she would have loved for her daughter to have married for love, she knew it could take a very long time. The woman wanted to see her daughter married just as much as she wanted her to find love. She just had to see her daughter married.

And as Margaret made her way to the door she was filled with a sense of dread. Could she truly marry a man she did not find attractive or did not love? Was there no such thing as a soul mate for her?

'Good afternoon my love,' the man at the door greeted when she answered him. He was handsome, she would credit him that, he had beautiful long blonde hair and the most beautiful baby blue eyes. He was handsome, she knew he was rich, he'd asked her for her hand before. All that said, Maggie did not love him.

'Hello Steven,' Maggie replied and when he bent on one knee to ask her the question and display the little wooden box, her heart leapt but not in a good way. She was nervous because she knew she had to say yes, for the sake of her mother; the woman who had birthed her, raised her and given her everything she could have ever asked for. At least until the illness caught her.

'Margaret I know you refuse every time I ask this question of you, but I won't give up. I am wealthy I can give you everything you want and need. Everything you've ever wanted and needed. Just say yes, just marry me,' Steven begged and Margaret, her heart beating in her throat, her palms sweaty and her breath refusing to make it out of her throat nodded her head.

'I will marry you,' she said when she could breathe well enough. 'I will marry you, but my mother comes with us and she gets all the medicine she needs,' Margaret decided to barter and Steven nodded.

'Of course, I wouldn't expect anything less from such a caring woman as you. The wedding will be Sunday and we will be happy. I promise you my love, I'll be faithful and I'll take such good care of you, you'll want for nothing,' Steven said and when he stood and kissed her she felt nothing. He wasn't for her but she had to marry him.

And Sunday? Well that was only six days away, what with it being Monday. She had six days to get herself ready for the fact that she will be married and a wife in less than a week. She'd put on a front ever since her father died, she was good at it and she would keep that talent when she married a man she could not love, a man she loved only as a good friend. But hey she wouldn't find the man she loved before Sunday. She didn't even think he lived in the kingdom.


	5. Chapter 5

'Where have you been Miss Maleen?' Her maid asked, she was just turning down the princess's bed when she entered the room. 'And what on God's green Earth are you wearing child?' The servant was startled and she looked down at the gown she was wearing. A servant's gown, that's what she wore upon her royal body. She looked exactly like a peasant and she was actually happy about that for the first time in her life.

That man had looked at her, truly looked at her, not because she was the princess, the only heir to the throne, no he looked at her for her. Maleen knew there was a strong likelihood that she would never see his beautiful face ever again, but she didn't care, to have set her eyes on him once was enough for her.

'I was out in the kingdom,' Maleen admitted as she made her way to her dresser and changed quickly into one of the many beautiful gowns that a princess like her _should _wear. The gowns she hated almost as much as the family of which she was born into. They cared for naught but marrying her off to the most eligible of all the princes in the nearest of kingdoms. And these dresses pulled her in, cutting off her circulation, hindering her breathing and making it hard for her to speak. She could not count the many times she had fainted from being light headed. And according to her mother, the queen, it was lady like to faint like that.

'What!' The maid screeched and Maleen covered her ears even as she directed the woman to help her with the corset on her gown. 'Miss Maleen you know your father has forbidden you to leave the castle and go out into such rabble, anything could have happened to you!' As she spoke, the woman pulled tighter on the strings to the corset. Corsets, the most ridiculous inventions ever, what kind of a woman would rather have her breasts swell beyond the top of her dress rather than have the ability to breathe? Her mother and her mother clearly thought she did too!

'Lucy how am I to understand the people I will one day rule over if I do not spend time in their kingdom and see what troubles they have and how living in poverty affects them. What kind of a Queen will I make if I am just to ignore the people that actually make my kingdom, a kingdom and me a Queen? With no one to rule over, surely I am just another peasant?'

'We shall have no talk of this!' Lucy demanded, finishing the tying of the corset and pinching Maleen's cheeks roughly.

'Ow are you trying to hurt me?' Maleen asked, trying to bat the blonde's hands away but the maid only pinched harder. 'What is the meaning of this?' She asked, becoming angry. Maleen was not of the thought that pain was a healthy thing to have.

'A proposal,' Lucy explained and the princess's brows drew in confusion. 'The prince has asked for your hand in marriage and your father has said yes!' The maid at least seemed excited enough, sighing and fanning herself. But not Maleen, never Maleen, she was already in love, had already decided that she could not marry the prince her father had picked out for her.

'Then you marry him,' she said and Lucy stopped aghast. 'If you're so excited about all of this then why not marry him yourself?' she asked.

'Why wouldn't you want to marry him little miss?' Lucy asked her voice stern just like her parents' always was. In fact everyone spoke to her in such a way, she had been very surprised when that man had spoken to her with such gentleness.

'I do not love him.'

'Tosh miss, it's not always of the love. Love does not come at the very beginning, but through trust it does come. And besides what does love have to do with marriage?' The blonde clearly had never fallen in love!

'I am in love Lucy. I love another. I met him this morn whilst I was out in the village; he is such a kind, handsome man. It was love at first sight. I was supposed to sneak out into the village this morning. It was fate that I met him,' Maleen sighed and Lucy took hold of her hand and slapped it harshly. Her parents had instructed it be so if she did not do as was told, or spoke out of turn.

'Nonsense, forget all of this man and get yourself to the throne room, Prince Alfred will propose to you there,' Lucy said, taking her hand and dragging her along to the door and out, down the stairs and into the throne room.

'Your daughter your majesties,' Lucy declared and Maleen was pushed into the room with such force that she fell onto the floor, a pair of brown riding boots staring at her.

Prince Lewis had just arrived at the palace to see the King and the Queen about the hand in marriage of their daughter Maid Maleen. He didn't know this woman, knew he didn't love her, for he loved another woman, an unknown peasant woman that lived in the kingdom. He wanted to marry her to take all of the worries from her eyes and replace them with joy. He wanted to declare his love and propose on the spot. After all they didn't have forever.

'Your daughter your majesties,' a female voice announced and before he knew what had happened the princess herself was falling over herself and onto the floor before him; he still did not know what she looked like for her face was on the floor.

'Please let me help you,' Lewis spoke and watched as every muscle in her back began to tense. At the sound of his voice; surely not! And yet she did not move. It was as though she had become afraid. 'Do not worry Princess I don't think that anyone saw, if you take my hand right now they still won't.' He crouched down to her level, holding out his hand.

When her head lifted and he saw her face it was all he could do to stop from breaking out into a great smile. His woman! The peasant woman from the village wasn't a peasant woman, but the princess disguised as one. Wanting to escape from royal bloodline was something he found himself wanting to do each and every minute, he found himself understanding. He understood the harsh expectations of being royalty, he had been expected to marry Maleen and he hadn't wanted to, but now that he knew who she truly was, he didn't think he could help himself.

Maleen took his hand and closed in to whisper, 'Please do not tell them about this morning.' He wouldn't have done such a thing anyway, he knew the consequences and besides he would never get her into trouble. She hadn't had to ask and with that gown on he had been able to see the swell of her breast, he tried to look away as he was supposed to, but even as he did, his manhood could not forget the sight he had just witnessed and suddenly his trews were too uncomfortable for him.

'I see you have met my daughter,' the King pronounced and Lewis nodded.

'And what a beautiful sight she is,' Lewis said raising her hand to his lips and pressing a tender kiss to them. She sighed longingly and her cheeks blushed red.

'She is my sight to behold,' Prince Alfred informed Lewis, whose very heart almost stood still in his chest. He had lost her before he had even the chance to win her? He had lost her to Prince Alfred the womaniser?

'You have already agreed to this wedding Maleen?' Lewis asked and the pain in his heart was something he could see reflected in his own eyes when he gazed into hers. He was heart sick. He couldn't lose her, there had to be something he could do.

'No, I haven't Prince Lewis but you understand the pressures of parents, I am their only daughter the only heir to this throne and kingdom. Alfred asked of my father first.'

'So you're going to marry him just because of that, please princess, don't marry him.'

'What is going on over there?' The king demanded and Prince Alfred moved to stand in between them, shooting Lewis a glare that told him to stay away from her.

'I petition the hand of your daughter in marriage your majesty, she hasn't agreed to marry Alfred and I beg that you give me a chance to win her heart,' Lewis looked her way and she nodded her head. Was she telling him he already had won her heart?

'My king you cannot be considering such a thing,' Alfred snapped as he came to stand beside Lewis. Two suitors vying for the hand in marriage of the princess, two suitors yet one loved her, the other wanted to rule her kingdom.

'My daughter is a rebellious child. And I do not know if either of you are best suited for my daughter; however as you are the only suitors I will give you both a chance to impress my daughter, and the one who does so will win her hand in marriage.' The King announced and Prince Lewis's smile grew wide as Prince Alfred's grew short. He'd thought he'd had the daughter of the king, but now he had a lot of competition.

'How will we be expected to impress Miss Maleen?' Lewis asked to the princess's look of joy.

'Each of you will journey to another land and bring back something that you believe Maleen will prize over everything else that she has ever been given,' the king announced and Lewis smiled once again. He knew exactly what Maleen wanted, for their desires were both of the same blood. They wanted to be free. And they wanted to be together. For as long as they both lived.


End file.
